It's not always rainbows and butterflies,

but sometimes, 

just sometimes,

it is.

x

Sometimes the pinata comes first

Our floors are filthy (I was going to write disgusting, but that would be unfair, they're not. Just filthy.)

But...we have been making a pinata,

a felt dragon,

a chocolate dinosaur,

dinner,

and doing the washing.

Sometimes we give up something to get something. A lot of the time. Almost always.

At the moment, despite the arrival of a new vacuum (yippee!), it's the floors that are missing out.

Unassisted by the arrival of new sand in the sandpit and a meal of cous cous for five people last night but as much as it bothers me each time I see the dirt I still walk over it.

I walk over it to get to the children. To get to the washing. To get the camera. To get to the door.
And with birthday preparations in full swing, I walk over it to get to the pinata. To get to the dinosaur. To get to the cake. To get to a cup of tea. 

 I walk over it to get to the other side.

Trying Dyeing

So I figured while I had those dyes out anyhoooo I might just dip a little wool.

I needed to colour some yarn to finish a project I had begun only to find I was short of a couple of colours. So with the assistance of the internet I gave it a go. 

This is alot of fun. 

After I had achieved the colours that were required for said project I continued to have a play with others. One of the best parts about this is when you put the yarn in the water/dye/vinegar the water is coloured and the yarn is not. When the process is complete the yarn is coloured and the water is not. So cool. And pretty. Smile.

Now, on with the knitting part.

Happy Easter

Daily knead

One of the reasons Easter is enjoyed in our house: 

We're doing this as often as we can. (Apologies for the shakey shot. Maybe I was a little excited? Maybe?)

Yuck, yum, 
Currant Bun. 

Hot Cross Buns, 
Hot Cross Buns, 
One a penny, 
Two a penny...

...if you have no daughters, 
give them to your sons.
(We have three of the former and one of the later. But never fear, even distribution is ensured)

That bun on the right looks like it's poking it's tongue out. You may Mmmmyeerrrrr right back at it. No offence taken.

Wonder full: something for the senses

'I love you Mum.'
'Thanks mate. (I look up from what I'm doing to see what he is doing)
Is that because you're eating orange cake?'
'Yeah.'

The next day:
'I love you Mum.'
'Thanks mate. (pause)
Is that because I'm making chocolates?'
'Yes.'

Whoever said the way to a man's heart is through his stomach may just have been right.
That's ok by me. 
That's my task right? To give them all the love they need.
Food : Love. I'll do my best. 
(The food won't always be so sugary but the love will always be sweet)

A week in review

How to win a sister's love; one of many ways: share lollies. They must've sat like this for half an hour, giggling away.

Baby food. Yes, it's an established part of our day again. Happy baby.

And that wool left on the kitchen bench? It's intended for dyeing. I'm going to have a little try at colouring some yarn. 

Step one: Yarn out and on the kitchen bench. Tick

Step two: Ahhh...soon.

Little sisters beginning to play together: things to make a Mama smile.

Kite flying: We had a super windy day. Not great for kite flying because it was whipping around in every direction but none-the-less, Little Man thought he'd like to make a kite, and sister joins in. They're just crepe paper, string and fine bamboo twigs from the garden. They didn't get a great deal of elevation but fly they did. In fits and starts. But hey, can you see the joy on those faces? Apparently making something fly is a REALLY good feeling.

I always wanted to fly.

Still do.

You?

Autumnal

O, it's autumn. Not that you'd have known it around here till the weekend when the temperatures finally dropped. 
And with an abundance of oranges around this made it's way into and out of our little oven last night.
Orange cake with lashings of cream? Yes please, Mama.

Happy Baby

I love it that when I walk in the room to see if she's woken her little arms fly around, like a helicopter, in excitement. On occasion she breaks into a chuckle. Frequently she gasps.

Then she tilts her chin and her nose up toward me looking for a kiss.
And when I kiss her she returns with that soft open mouth baby kiss, her hand grab at my cheeks and ears. So soft.

Sometimes I feed her lying in bed. She nurses for a few moments then stops and looks up as if to check I'm still paying attention, gives a wide smile then returns to her task.

And when she's full. She smiles and talks to me. Hheeehhh.

Hello Happy Baby.

It's a fitting name.

snap

The camera is back. Moments are being captured.

Babies are being beautiful.

hiding

I love that her hide and seek is a jumble of counting.

She yells 'I coming' and 'I found yaa. I did found you, Mama.'

And when its her turn to hide she hides in exactly the same spot she just found her sister and yells 'I hiding now. You hava fine me.', before her sister has even averted her eyes.

Big sister still does the count and there are peals of laughter when she is 'foun'.

I love these moments. 

Home again, home again

It feels good to be home. Really good; to be in our space. 

It's funny how unsettling a holiday can be. There are other callings, other wants and needs. There are good things but these things can sometimes be difficult to navigate. Maybe more so with young children. Or a gaggle of young children. 

(Just checking whether the big bearded man and his eight trusted steeds had tried the fare left out for them. Yep. They did. Good sign.)

We did however, have lots of wonderful relationship building and regenerating time with incredible people who mean the world to us. And this is what we seek from this time.

(There were a couple of visits from a special fairy. While our biggest lost two, our littlest gained two. 

Oh so young!)

So, home we are.

I am embracing the mess in the house  (knowing in a few days I may not be so at peace with it...) 

(A wee spot of knitting that started well and then ground to a halt. Hopefully We'll pick that up again this week. Yes, I'm hopeful.)

There are bags being unpacked. Play spaced being changed and moved. A half stocked fridge. Parcels to collect (yay!). A fish to be reclaimed. Gifted Alpaca fleece to be stored. Preparations for the start of the school and kinder year. Toys to find homes. All this makes it blindingly obvious we also in need of a clean out. A clean out that may happen in five minute blocks.

(A very rough Gingerbread house that the kids enjoyed decorating. And eating)

On the way to our beach holiday my camera came to grief. The lens was snapped off inside the bag. Unfortunately, I don't think there's much can be done about the lens. I think the camera body is ok though. Getting something like this fixed with four little people to care for becomes quite tricky. It is near the top of the list though; 'cause that little viewfinder helps me connect with the world; helps my perspective.

(There was almost an entire community of crabs collected and released. This little fella was the last.)

(We got so tired we fell asleep rubbing our eyes.)

All that said, all our holiday snaps are from that convenient little camera on the phone. 

(This picture taken by the very clever Majella)